


The Portrait

by rubberglue



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-25 04:55:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/635331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubberglue/pseuds/rubberglue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is really not very keen on having his portrait painted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Portrait

She wriggled against a currently extremely sensitive part of his body and he scowled at her. Sure, call-me-Leo had told her to move closer - “you want to present yourself as a strong union do you not?” - but Arthur had strong suspicions that she was also doing it to frustrate him. When she looked up at him through her eyelashes and smiled that smile she used in bed, he knew his suspicions were right. He scowled at his wife again. 

“Smile! Smile! You are happy are you not?”

Why did this artist have to end every sentence with a question? It was annoying. In fact, everything about this was annoying. Arthur couldn’t understand why they needed a new portrait in the first place. There was already one of him. They could just have Gwen sit for a portrait then put their portraits side by side or something like that. 

“That portrait of you was painted when you were eighteen,” Geoffrey said slowly when Arthur offered his alternative plan. Merlin stood in the corner of the council room and sniggered. That was bad decision number one - allowing Merlin into the council room. All he ever seemed to do was laugh at Arthur or make snide remarks. Bad decision number two was agreeing to this portrait. 

It was Gwen’s fault.

She had looked at him with eyes sparkling with excitement and hope when he mentioned the portrait and he completely caved, even agreeing that this was such a brilliant idea. He had crossed his fingers behind his back when he said that. His nurse was wrong - crossing fingers didn’t work. He was still standing in a cold room - “the artist works best in a cold room” - holding his wife and feeling completely uncomfortable. He wanted to hold his wife behind closed doors so he could hold her and then do more than hold her. Plus, holding her in one position for this long made his limbs ache. No, he was not getting old. 

It was definitely Gwen’s fault. 

Since she was coronated, she had amassed a large number of dresses, mostly gifts from various nobles. Did she wear that red dress that covered almost every part of her body? No. She had decided to wear the lush blue one with the low neckline. All he had to do was lower his eyeline and he could see the rise of her breasts, the shadow of her clevage. He wasn’t sure if it was the cold or his imagination, but he thought he could also see the slight outline of her pebbled nipples. Hopefully the artist wouldn’t capture that.

He ached to run his thumb over them, knowing how she would respond. Then he would untie her dress and slowly move the dress off the shoulder. He would do it slowly because nothing was as erotic as having Gwen writhe under him, begging. And then when her full breasts were free from the confines of her dress, he would -

“Sire? Sire!”

“What?” Arthur snapped. 

“Turn slightly to the front and rest your head on her highness, can you? I feel that it will create more intimacy, don’t you think?”

Arthur narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth, ready to tell the artist that he was king and spending hours taking orders from an artist was completely ridiculous. 

Gwen stomped on his foot. He scowled at her again. It would serve her right if he refused any love making tonight, he thought. She smiled that smile again and wriggled once more, pressing her chest into his. He didn’t even realise it was possible to feel her sensual heat through his armour. Forget not making love to her tonight. He would explode if he didn’t.

Awkwardly, he bent his head down to lean it against hers. Merlin gave a thumbs up sign. Arthur rolled his eyes.

“Look to the front will you?”

Could he execute artists for being too annoying? 

“We’re done! Thank you! I promise you the portrait will be the greatest one you’ve ever seen! People will travel all the way to Camelot to view my exquisite art.” The artist smiled and bowed.

“Thank you so much,” Gwen walked over to the artist. “I have seen some of your work and they have all such -”

“I am afraid we have to leave now. Important ruling stuff to do.” Arthur nodded stiffly at the artist and grabbed Gwen’s hand, tugging her so she followed him out of the room.

“Important ruling stuff?” Humour laced her voice.

“Uh-huh.” Arthur dragged her into one of the many empty rooms in the castle. “Very important ruling stuff.”

He kissed her and this time when she wriggled against him, he didn’t scowl.


End file.
